My two best friends and I took a week-long vacation to Palm Springs last week! This was only my second time to California and all of our first times to Palm Springs so we wanted to check a lot of stuff out! The temperature in Palm Springs was in the 100’s during the day with a high of 108 degrees! That’s a good 10 degrees warmer than it’s normally here in New Orleans, but the dry heat was SO much more bearable than the super humid weather I’m used to! So needless to say, the plan was to spend a lot of time at the pool! We spent three days at three different pools and the rest of our time exploring the area. I’ve decided to split this trip into smaller posts starting with The Ace Hotel and King’s Highway Diner. We didn’t get to stay at the Ace but we did spend a day by their pool. I really liked the casual and relaxed vibe and the food was some of our favorite from the trip! It was a pretty calm day since it was during the week but from what I have heard, they have some great parties on the weekends. On Saturday’s they even have a specialty Bloody Mary menu which we were bummed to miss out on. A few days later we got a yummy breakfast at King’s Highway which is a really cool renovated Denny’s at The Ace. I’d definitely consider staying here next time I’m in Palm Springs!

Next up will be photos from our architecture tour, The Saguaro, Mount San Jacinto State Park, The Parker, Salvation Mountain and some of our other favorites from the trip! In the meantime you can check out our instagrams here.

I’m totally obsessed with one of the newest restaurants on my street. Mellow Mushroom is a franchise but the owners, Elizabeth and Austin Kent and James Son, did such a good job of making it fit right in on Oak Street! They totally transformed a two-story house that was built in the early 1900s and were able to preserve the original façade and a handful of interior decor.

The franchise really promotes local ownership and operation, said Son, a New Orleans native. Each location is completely different and really focuses on the local community.”

Although the chain has certain requirements regarding consistency and standards for the menu, franchisees are still able to source their produce and products locally. When renovating the building they used local contractors, architects and artists, including Graffiti Graphics, aka my super talented parents, for their awesome sign!

We really wanted to emphasize where we were and use as many locals aspects as possible, said Son. For me it’s really important that we be a part of this community.”

Mellow and Oak Street each portray a funky vibe that fits right in with the culture and residents of this area,” states Elizabeth.

Once I was done obsessing over the decor, it was time to eat and man is their pizza good! I especially like the Red Skin Potato Pie. It sounds a little weird, but it’s SO good! I have already been way too many times since they opened in March!

Hey guys! I am SO excited to finally share what my sister and I have been working on for the past few months. We are starting a meetup for bloggers and creatives in Louisiana called The Made In Mind Social. We had this idea in the back of minds for a while, but after attending the Creating Offline Events panel at Alt Summit, I was really inspired to get it going! We have been working behind the scenes on the logo and website and officially launched this week!

Our goal is to build a community where everyone can share their passions and encourage each other to keep their creative juices flowing. Whether you are a blogger, graphic designer, artist, photographer, fashion designer, DIY lover, makeup artist etc., we want to network and get to know the people behind their work!

We are planning our first event as we speak so if you are in the area, we would LOVE for you to become a member and attend some of our events!

If you won’t be able to attend our events, you can still support us by sponsoring the Made In Mind blog or sponsoring an event! This is the perfect event to get your name out to bloggers and creatives in Louisiana!

Sooo excited! Me and my two best friends are taking a vacation to Palm Springs in 3 weeks!!! We all went to high school and college together but don’t live in the same city any more, so a girls trip, is LONG overdue! I have only been to California once and I really don’t have a clue what to do in Palm Springs, so I’m looking at you! If you have ever been to Palm Springs or live in the area… I want to know what your favorite spots are. We want to find art, amazing food, relaxing spots, fancy drinks, something unique, sunshine, spas, we are open to all suggestions. Oh yea, and we have not booked a room yet, so we also need a place to stay! Any ideas, I want to hear about it all! Just click the image below to email me, or leave a comment below! Thanks for the help, love y’all!

I’ll be out at Jazz Fest today, tomorrow and Sunday. It’s going to be a wet and muddy one today, and strangely cool for this time of year. Hoping that tomorrow looks more like these photos that Zander took last year. Have a great weekend and see ya back here Tuesday with a new business advice post from Mariah!

Hi Y’all! I’m Ciera…

a graphic designer who loves photography, traveling, festivals, coffee, keyboard shortcuts and helping other small businesses to succeed. The studio is based in New Orleans but accepts clients worldwide! Read More…